Apparatus for coating metallic strips



March 12, 1957 A. E. UHLEEN APPARATUS FOR COATING METALLIC STRIPS Fgled Dec. 16. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

I /2 a i l INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. UHLEEN ATTORNEYS March 12, 1957 UHLEEN 2,784,697

APPARATUS FOR COATING METALLIC STRIPS Filed Dec. 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. UHLEEN y g h QWM ATTOR NEYS 2,784,697 APPARATUS FOR COATING METALLIC STRIPS Arthur E. Uhleen, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Enamelstrip Corporation, Allentown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 16, 1952, Serial No. 326,256 3 Claims. (Cl. 118-411) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for coating strips of material, and is directed more particularly to the applying of paints, enamels, and practically any other kind of coating that may be applied to a metallic strip 'or sheet while it is moving along a vertical plane.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an applicator including elements and means for adjustment providing a degree of control of the thickness of the coating heretofore unattained.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an applicator which has a body having a longitudinal cavity therein and supported for movement about its longitudinal axis and adapted to be locked and secured in a set position, said applicator having an outlet slot of a predetermined width therein substantially parallel to said axis, and having a fluid inlet communicating with said cavity and via which a coating fluid is delivered thereto under a predetermined head pressure.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an applicator of the character described above, wherein said outlet slot is of a predetermined maximum width and wherein at least one member comprising one border of said slot is adjustable relative to the opposite border of said slot for controlling the thickness of the coating to be applied to the work.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision, in apparatus for coating strip materials, of an applicator including a hollow somewhat tubular body mounted for movement about its longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal slot therein, the width of which is adjustable, an inlet conduit for leading the coating material under pressure to the interior of said body, means to move a strip of material along a vertical path alongside said applicator, said slot being disposed somewhat laterally and traversed by said strip, and the thickness of the coating being controlled by the adjustment of the width of said slot and by the setting of the position of said slot relative to the horizontal.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in apparatus for coating strip materials, of a pair of applicators of the character described, one being disposed on one side of a vertically moving strip to coat one face thereof and the other being disposed on the other side of said strip for coating its other face.

Another object of the invention is the provision, where two applicators are employed, of a right hand applicator on one side of the strip and a left hand applicator on the opposite side of the strip, the adjustable edges of the slots in both cases disposed in a like manner to produce comparable results.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are included to illustrate the invention and how it is practised:

Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus, showing the 2,784,697 Patented Mar. 12, 195i 2 movement of the strip and the relation. of the applicators to it;

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-section of one form of my improved applicaltor showing the outlet slot and the relation of a flow adjusting bar thereto;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the applicator shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a modified form of applicator wherein separate adjustable bar members are employed to define both edges of the exit slot.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus in cludes a strip supporting and conveying means (not shown) wherein the stri which may consist of a very long metallic sheet or strip rolled into a roll for convenience in handling. The strip initially passes through apparatus for cleaning it and conditioning it to receive a coating of a desired material thereon.

Since the cleaning and conditioning steps do not form a part of the invention, they are not shown and described.

The metallic strip 10, prior to the time it reaches the coating stage, is preferably moved on a vertical plane.

- In Figures 1 and 2, the strip 1 0 is moved upwardly by means of cooperating rollers 11 and 13 which have shafts 12 and 14 respectively which are journaled in supports 15 which are formed integral with or secured to the frame member 16. Spaced apart from the rollers 11, 13, is an oven 17 into which the strip 10 passes. This oven has suitable heating devices (not shown) and conveying means a portion of which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and designated by the numerals 11a and 13a.

After the strip 10 leaves the rollers 11 and 13, it encounters an applicator 18 which has aligned portions of reduced diameter or stud shafts 19 and 26, which may be best seen in Figure 5. The shaft 20 has an axial hole 21 formed therein and this hole communicates with a threaded hole 22 extending inwardly from the outer end thereof. Formed integral with the shaft 2% is a flange 23 which has a boss portion 24 of reduced diameter. This boss portion 24 fits a counterbore 25 in one end of the applicator body 26, and the flange portion. beyond the boss portion 24 abuts said end and is secured thereto by means of screws 30 passing through clearance holes in said flange portion and engaging corresponding threaded hole formed in said end.

The shafit 19 on the other end of said applicator body 26 has formed integral therewith; a flange 27 which carries a boss portion 28 of reduced diameter. This boss portion forms a shrink fit with a counterbore 29 in the other end of the applicator body, and the flange 2'7 abuts the other end of the body 26 and is secured thereto by screws 30a (like screws 30) passing through clearance holes in said flange and engaging threaded holes formed in the last mentioned end. The shaft 19 may be solid as shown in Figure 5, or the applicator body 26 may have a shaft like the shaft 20 in both ends, in which event one of the shafts 20 may be plugged up with a pipe plug screwed into the threads 22, and the other may be pro vided with a fitting to which a source of lacquer, paint, varnish, or any other coating material is connected. Of course, for more rapid applications both such shafts 20 may be connected to any of said sources.

Referring now to Figure 4, the body 26 is shown in cross section. It has an interior bore 31, and has a radial slot 32 communicating with the interior thereof. The body 26 also has a flat surface 33" formed on the exterior thereof and disposed at an angle of approximately 15 with respect to a plane transversed by the strip 10. A blade member 34 has a plurality of screws (one of which is shown at 35) extending through slots formed therein and engaging threaded holes formed in the wall of body 26 in an area designated by the numeral 36. These screws are provided for adjusting the blade 34 relative to the slot 32. The surface 34a of the blade is parallel to the surface 33, and the surface 34b is substantially parallel to the slot 32. Preferably formed integral with the body 26 and longitudinallydisposed on the surface 33 is a rib 37. The upper edge of the blade 34 is substantially parallel to the rib 37 and in order to accurately adjust the blade so as to obtain a predetermined definite width of the slot 32, a series of tapped holes are formed in the rib 27. Adjusting screws, one of which is shown at 38, are mounted in these threaded holes for bearing against the upper edge of the blade duringan adjusting period, the screws 35 having first been loosened. After the desired adjustment has been obtained, the screws 35 are then tightened to retain such adjustment.

In addition to the adjustment described above, the applicator 26 may be adjusted rotarily about its central axis as follows: a rectangular frame member 39, returning to Figures 1 and 2, has a finished rectangular opening engages the threads 22 in the bearing end 20. A similar fitting 57 is mounted in the end of the shaft 29a of the applicator 18a in the same manner. A conduit leading from a source of enamel, paint or other coating fluid is connected to the fitting 56 so as to deliver said fiuid to the interior of the applicator. A similar conduit from another source is connected to the fitting 57 where it is deisred to supply coatings to both surfaces of the sheet it).

Where it is desired to apply a coating to one face of the sheet, the applicator 18, for example, would be used, and the applicator 18a would not be supplied with coating material or it could be removed from the bearing block 52 and other supporting elements. The material con- 4t) and has mounting lugs 41 and 42 through which mounting screws 43 extend and engage threaded holes (not shown) in the support 16.

A threaded rod 44 is secured to and vertically disposed in the support 16. Lever member 45 has a portion 46 which embraces the shaft 20 and said portion is held in fixed relation to the shaft 20 by means of screws 47. The lever member has a clearance hole (not shown) through which the threaded rod 44 extends. A nut 48 thrcadedly engages the rod 44 below the lever 45 and a like nut 49 threadedly engages the rod 44 above the lever member 45.

When it is desired to move the applicator 18 in a counterclockwise direction the nut 48 is secured downwardly on the rod 44 until the desired amount of rotation of the applicator has been obtained, and thereafter the nut 49 is secured down to engage the upper surface of the lever member and to conjointly with the nut 48 retain the lever member 45 in an adjusting position. When it is desired to move the applicator 18 in a clockwise direction the nut 49 is backed off and the nut 48 is screwed upwardly until the desired rotation of the applicator 18 is effected, thereafter the nut 49 is tightened to retain such adjustment.

A second lever member 50 has a clearance hole (not shown) which rides the threaded rod 44 near one end thereof and the other end has a portion 51 which embraces the shaft 20a and which is fixedly secured to the shaft by means of screws 47a. The shaft Ztla is journalled in a bearing block 52 which is mounted on and secured to the frame member 39 by means of cap screws 53 passing through bosses 54 and 55 formed integral with the bearing block 52.

Now when it is desired to adjust the applicator 18a in a counterclockwise direction the nut 48a is backed off by screwing it downwardly, following which the nut 49a may be slowly screwed downwardly on the rod 44 until the desired amount of rotation has been obtained. Following this the nut 48a is screwed back upwardly to secure the lever member 50 in the adjusted position.

i have found that this method of rotatively adjusting the applicators is very effective and by means of the arrangements shown I am able to control the thickness of the material deposited on the sheet 10 to approximately a minute degree.

The applicator 18a may be identical with the applicator 18 except that the body portion 26 is turned end for end so that the relation ofthe slot 32 and the blade 34, relative to one face of the sheet 10, is substantially the same as the relation of the same elements of the applicator 18 relative to the opposite face of the sheet 10. This relation may be clearly seen in Figure 3. I The applicator 18 has a fitting 56 which .threadedly engage holes formed in the wall 26a.

tained in the source, whether it be a tank or any other suitable container is regulated to deliver the material to the applicator 18 at a predetermined and constant head pressure so that the coating on the sheet to will not appreciably vary in thickness.

Of course, where both faces of the sheet 10 are to be coated, material is delivered to both the applicator 18 and to the applicator 18a. This material may be of the same color, or one color may be delivered in one applicator and a different color to the other. The coated sheet 10 passes upwardly into a suitable drying oven and there is no contact between the coating and any roller means conveying the sheet through the over except at the edges. .As such rollers are well known in the art, it is not deemed necessary to describe them in detail herein.

Referring now to Figure 6 a cross section of a modified form of applicator 18b has a tubular body portion 26a with an interior bore 31a and communicating with the interior 31a is a longitudinal slot 32a.

The applicator 18b has a flat surface 58 formed thereon, coextensive with and communicating with the slot 32a. A blade 59 is positioned on the flat surface 58 and is secured thereto by a series of screws 35a which pass through clearance slots in the blade 59 and threadedly The blade 59 has a portion 59a which forms an acute angle with a face portion 5% thereof. A longitudinal web 60 formed integral with the body 26a is disposed between the frame 58 and a cut-out portion 61. A series of threaded holes in the web, substantially parallel to the surface 58, are engaged by screws 62 for backing up the blade 59. When it is desired to adjust the blade 59 the screws 35a are loosened and the screws 62 may be screwed forwardly or backwardly in the course with which direction it is desired to move the blade 59. The portion 5% might be termed a shoe bar extension.

On the other side of the slot 32a the body 26:: has a flattened portion 63 which is bounded by a longitudinal rib 64, and beyond the rib 64 is a longitudinal clearance notch 65.- A blade member 66 is mounted on the surface 63 and is secured thereon by means of a series of screws 35/) extending through clearance slots in the blade and engaging tapped holes formed in the surface 63. The

blade 66 has a beveled face 67 which is substantially parallel to the axes of the slot 32a. A series of screws 62a are disposed in spaced tapped holes in the rib 64 for backing up the blades 66.

The new and improved applicator may be adjusted as fol-lows: With the applicator set in a predetermined relation to the sheet 10 the lower blade 66 may be adjusted to narrow the slot 32a and at the same time to change the spacing between the apex of the blade and the sheet if being coated, instead of rotating the applicator on its supports in the manner described above for the applicator 18. Thus with my applicator I have regulated the thickness of the coating applied to the strip.

1. By varying the head pressure on the coating fluid delivered to the applicators.

2. I may rotate the applicators slightly about their axes and thus change the relation between the strip and the edge of the applicator.

3. I may changethe relation of the edge of the applicater (the lower blade 66) by means of adjusting screws 62a.

4. By varying the efiective width of the slot in the form of applicator shown in the embodiment 18 of the applicator, and

5. By varying the spacing between the beveled faces of the blades 59 and 66.

It will be noted that due to the fact that I move the strip 19 on the vertical plane, the force of gravity does not influence the thickness of the coating applied to the strip. Consequently, this leaves all phases of the regulation under control when these are the phases mentioned above.

Although I have herein shown and described, by way of example, one form of my new and improved applicator and a modification thereof, it will be understood that many variations may be made in the arrangements shown and described Within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In apparatus for coating metallic strips, the combination of means to move a strip along a vertical path under tension, applicator means comprising a nozzle having a continuous elongated slot directed toward the path of and contacting one surface of said strip, said nozzle being mounted on suitable bearing means which is fixed against vertical movement, means to vary the angle of the slot in said nozzle relative to the surface of said strip, means to vary bodily the position of said applicator toward and away from the path of said strip, and means to vary the Width of said slot and thereby vary the thickness of the coating applied to said strip.

2. In apparatus for coating metallic strips, the combination of means to move a strip upwardly along a vertical path under tension, applicator means comprising a nozzle having a continuous elongated slot directed toward the path of and contacting one surface of said strip, said nozzle being mounted on suitable bearing means which is fixed against vertical movement, means to vary the angle of the slot in said nozzle relative to the surfiace of said strip, means to vary bodily the position of said applicator toward and away from the path of said strip, and means to vary the width of said slot and thereby vary the thickness of the coating applied to said strip.

3. in apparatus for coating metallic strips, the combination of means to move a strip upwardly along a vertical path under tension, applicator means comprising a nozzle disposed on one side of the path of said strip, a second applicator means comprising a second nozzle, each of said nozzles having a continuous elongated slot one nozzle being directed toward the path of and contacting said strip and the other being directed toward and contacting the opposite face of said strip, said nozzles being mounted on suitable bearing means fixed against vertical movement in predetermined spaced relationship along said path, individual means to vary the angles of the slots in said nozzles relative to the respective surfaces of said strip, individual means to vary bodily the respective positions of said applicators toward and away from the path of said strip, and individual means to vary the width of said slots and thereby vary the respective thicknesses of the coatings applied to said strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 877,186 Ford Jan. 21, 1908 1,851,538 Day et a1 Mar. 29, 1932 1,973,316 Hormel Sept. 11, 1934 2,252,204 Reilly Aug, 12, 1941 2,309,981 Randall Feb. 2, 1943 2,327,627 Esselen Aug. 24, 1943 2,330,282 Hazeltine et a1 Sept. 28, 1943 2,415,644 Leonhard et al Feb. 11, 1947 2,429,862 Woofter et al Oct. 28, 1947 2,464,771 Van Guelpen Mar. 15, 1949 2,558,084 Gwinn June 26, 1949 

